The Wild Azure Yonder
by TheGolurker
Summary: Having resolved the mystery of Wildfire's nightmares, Azure sets out on another journey to meet with Raina, the girl he met in his dreams. But when she is nowhere to be found, Azure teams up with faces old and new to try and figure out what happened to her. (Sequel series to The Chronicles of Azure. Reading through all 8 of its chapters is highly recommended.)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I wasn't sure if I'd actually write it, but I did! A sequel to my first fanfic, The Chronicles of Azure! If you haven't read all 8 chapters of TCoA already, do so ****now****! As I've said in the past, reviews are greatly appreciated! But if you're all caught up, sit back, relax, and enjoy the Wild Azure Yonder!**

_**Chapter 1: Something I've Overlooked**_

I took my first steps from Overlook's snow-covered train station, eager to see once again that beautiful brunette I met that fateful night. I said hello to the many residents I had previously only seen in my dreams, including that mysterious person in a mechanical suit, who was still as laconic and non-attentive as ever. Not getting any sight of Raina while I made my way around town, I deduced she must've been back at her citadel-like home. But when I knocked at the door, there was no response. Twisting the doorknob, I found out it was unlocked. Unfortunately, I saw no sign of her in the floral-themed main room. I checked the other areas of the home, including some parts I've never seen before during my past dream visit, but she wasn't in any of them.

The last place I checked was the basement. It was very spacious, but still lavishly decorated like the rest of the house. She wasn't in there either, but I noticed a desk with a few papers and an old-fashioned quill pen resting on top at the back of the room. I decided to take a closer look, finding a short letter in neat handwriting left on it. It read as follows:

"_I'm sorry, I really miss you. I messed up, but please don't worry."_

_-Raina_

I didn't know what had transpired causing the writing of this message, but it was obvious she probably wouldn't be back for a while. I has hoping to share some of the items I received in my farewell gift basket and get to know her better, but it looked like I'd have to settle for leaving them in her house. But as I unloaded said basket, an envelope fluttered out. It was addressed to Raina, written in big, bold handwriting. Judging from the bright orange ink, it was very safe to assume the letter's author was Slash. Did he somehow know I was going to her town, or did he slip it in by accident? I couldn't say for sure. Spotting a conveniently-placed letter opener, I emptied the envelope's contents.

"_Raina, I don't know where you are, or what kind of situation you're going through, but no matter how long it takes, I'll never stop searching. I'll still be here you, eagerly anticipating the day you return. But until that day comes, please take care._

_-Slash_

_P.S. JJ is looking for you too. I can't wait till we can all meet again…_

It became clear that something was going on. Though Wildfire's mayor was on the case, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I had to investigate the matter for myself.

After placing the letter next to the stack of goodies I left, I climbed back up the staircase and went out the front door. When I stepped outside, I felt a soft, chilly breeze sweep across my face. Standing before an immense field of flowers, I stared out at the distant horizon, thinking. Where could she be right now? Is she in danger of any sort? Did this have something to do with the time when she faded away? While snowflakes fell all around me, I took a short respite before resuming the journey to find the girl of my dreams.

My first lead was this JJ person that the orange-haired kid mentioned in his letter. Perhaps he had some useful information on this situation. But on my way back to the station, I thought I saw some movement in the shadow of the pastel-colored castle. I turned my head, but saw nothing. I waited for a few moments, checking for any more signs of activity, but I sensed nothing. Though I could have looked into it further, I had more pressing matters to attend to.

I had no idea where this JJ lived, let alone what he looked like, so I had consult the only link I had: Slash. It felt weird considering that I just came from his town and all the events that took place those last few days, but it had to be done. Besides, the hatchet (or katana, as the case may be) was buried, and there was no need to dig it up again.

When I entered the train, someone walked in from the next car over. He was a few inches taller than I was, with short spiky hair and a mellow, easy-going look on his face. He wore a long-sleeved black shirt and an enormous yellow tie.

"Hey there!" he said with a grin, "I don't think I've ever seen you before. Are you by any chance going over to Wildfire?"

"Yeah, actually. I take it you're on your way there too?" He certainly seemed friendly enough, so I introduced myself. "My name's Azure, what's yours?"

"The name's Justin, but you can call me JJ!"

That certainly saved me some time. One of these days, I'm going to have to write a huge thank you card to Lady Luck. Once the train got moving, my spiky-haired acquaintance continued the conversation.

"So… why're you heading over there, Azure?"

"Funny thing, actually. I was on my way to see _you_!"

He then looked back at me, slightly bewildered. "Me? I don't even live there! I'm just paying a visit! …But since I'm here, what do you need me for?"

"I'm looking for someone else, and I was hoping that you had some info on where that person might be."

"Hmm… OK then! I just might be able to help you! You know the name?"

"Yeah. It's Raina."

Upon hearing that, his mellowness faded into a more serious look.

"You're looking for her too, huh Azure? I actually may have a couple ideas, but I think we should wait until he's around to hear them."

_Ding! We have arrived at Wildfire Station. Please watch your step when exiting the train._

When we stepped off, I noticed a figure standing on the platform and wearing a Santa hat… and nothing else except for a grass skirt. I guess that's one way to prepare for the holidays. I should've known he wouldn't stay fully clothed for long. Then again, it rarely gets cold in Wildfire, so maybe he just wanted to get more sun. Either that, or he has a vendetta against shirts.

"Oh! Hey, JJ! It's been a while, hasn't it!" After greeting my yellow-tied friend, Slash tilted his head off to the side and then saw my face. "And A-Azure?! I-It hasn't been very long at all!"

"Oh, you two know each other?"

"Yeah. I first met Slash a few days back. It's a long, _long_, story." I didn't elaborate further, because I figured if he didn't know already, it'd probably be for the best that he not find out what happened. There was no need to make things more complicated.

Still trying to regain his composure, the flame-haired youth continued on. "S-so! What brings you two here? Best hairstyle competition? Because I'd totally win!"

He certainly retained his sense of humor, even after his recent epiphany. But we weren't here to joke around. "Actually, we're here about Raina."

"…Ah. So you got the message too, huh Azure? Looks like I was right to slip that letter in that little farewell basket of yours after all. I wasn't expecting to see you back here for a while, though…"

"Wait, you knew I was heading off to Overlook?! How'd you find out?"

"Just a feeling I had." Slash flashed an impish smirk. "Some have said that I might be a little psycho!"

My spiky-haired acquaintance piped up, "I think you mean 'psychic'."

"Eh, I've heard it both ways. …But back to the topic at hand, do you have anything new to share, JJ?"

"I don't have any new information, unfortunately, but I do have a theory…"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2: T is for Trouble**_

"A theory, you say?" The orange-haired mayor looked on intently, bursting with eagerness to find out what it was. "Please, do tell, JJ!"

"Will do!" He took a deep breath. "Well… what I think may have happened was-" Just then, my spiky-haired friend's stomach growled loudly. "-that I skipped breakfast this morning! …Sorry about that."

"Heh, well, no worries! We can head on over to my house! Trust me, I make a barbeque so delicious, it'd make your head explode!" Having seen what Slash was capable of, I sure hoped he didn't mean that literally. "C'mon you guys! Let's go!" And just like that, the flame-haired youth shot out the station entrance like a cannon.

Given that our meal still needed time to cook, my yellow-tied friend and I decided just to take our time and tread the scenic route. While walking past an assortment of fruit trees, I took the opportunity to get to know JJ a little better.

"So, how'd you and Slash met, anyway? Old neighbors? Vacation friends? Serendipitous dream meeting?"

JJ cracked an amused smile. "Oh no, nothing like that. I was actually visiting Raina's town, when he showed up. We chatted for a while, and then, bang! We became friends! Simple as that!" My spiky-haired friend paused for a second. "…You know, now that I think about it, I guess you could say that Raina was the one responsible for bringing the three of us together! …But now that she's disappeared, it feels like something's missing. Those days we all spent, visiting each other's towns, laughing, having fun… Those are times that I won't ever forget. …What I wouldn't give to have times like that again soon…" He looked down slightly, eyes tinged with a feeling of longing.

"Well, that's why we're here: to get to the bottom of this mystery, and find a way to bring her back from whatever caused her to disappear. She seems like a great person, even more so after what you said, JJ, so I'll help as much as I can with this investigation! Though I've met her once in a dream, I'd really want to get the chance to actually see Raina face to face."

Having that been said, JJ gave his thanks as we both set foot on the doorstep of the mayor's grandiose estate. We could smell the appetizing scent of grilled fish and citrus wafting from the partially-open door of the residence. If there was one thing I could tell from it, it was that if my head really did explode after this, at least my last meal was going to be delicious. We walked inside and found that Slash was just taking the fish off the grill.

"Hey guys! Just in time! Now that we're all here, let's dig in!"

With slight apprehension, I took my first bite of the food… and my cranium stayed thankfully intact. My tongue however, did explode. It exploded with the intense, succulent flavor of the fish and citrus marinade it was made with. The texture was also so tender that it practically melted in my mouth. I would've never marked Slash as a great cook, but there was no denying the skill involved in making a dish this good.

"Wow! Where'd you learn how to make this?! It's amazing!"

With a peculiar mix of pride and bashfulness on his face, the orange-haired chef responded, "It's an old family recipe! My mom sent it to me a while back in the mail. I must say, it's always nice to get a little taste of home now and then." After scarfing down a few more bites, the flame-haired youth continued. "So, JJ, what's this theory that you were trying to tell us earlier?"

"Right! I actually have 2 theories on why Raina disappeared, so listen closely. One: She's been abducted by aliens."

"-In which case, we'll have to arm ourselves with an arsenal of fruit-based weaponry." The mayor took another bite of his home-cooked meal without batting an eye. "What's the second?"

"Now this one is a bit more complicated." JJ cleared his throat before resuming. "Slash, remember that one guy she said was crazy about her?"

"Yeah, I do."

I, however, had no clue on what they were talking about. "Um, could you elaborate a bit on that? I'm totally lost."

The orange-haired mayor spoke up after swallowing yet another bite of his delicious barbeque. "Ah yes, that's right. You weren't around to hear about that. …To make a long story short, this one guy was head-over-heels for her. However, that feeling wasn't exactly mutual. One day, she consulted us for advice. We suggested to kick him to curb right then and there, but ever the caring person she was, Raina wanted to resolve the situation without any heartbreak and just played it oblivious to any romantic advances. For a while, that plan appeared to work; he didn't seem to cause as much trouble as we thought he would. But then she vanished…"

"I see… So, is your theory that this guy is directly responsible for her disappearance, JJ?"

"That is certainly a likely possibility. However, there's also the chance that someone may have come along and taken her away to protect her from that maniac."

After hearing those words, I inquired further. "Wait, couldn't she just have ran away? And if she didn't, someone protecting her against that stalker would be a bad thing?"

My yellow-tied friend responded in turn. "I don't think she simply ran away. She would've still kept in contact with us, or at least have given us an advance notice before dropping off the radar. And if someone did take her away, they also trapped her in complete isolation in the process. No contact with anyone else. That is most certainly not a good thing. But no matter what the case may be, she didn't vanish of her own volition."

The flame-haired kid finished off the last bite of his food. "So, what course of action should we take now?"

After hearing JJ's theory, I had no doubt in my mind about what to do next. "First, we should go hunting for this love-crazed stalker we were talking about. If he's the one behind this, we'll put an end to his misdeeds once and for all. If he isn't, he'll still bring us one step closer to find the one who did take her away. Sound like a plan?"

Both orange hair and mellow eyes nodded in unison. Having finished our meals, we exited out the door… only to find a mysterious figure wearing a black coat walk slowly on by.

"She's not here either…"

The mysterious figure turned his head and noticed the three of us, standing in a state of heightened curiosity. In doing so, we saw that he had dark hair… but that was about it. A stark white beard, which was obviously fake, obscured the rest of features, save for eyes that seemed to pierce right to the soul. What, was he reusing his Halloween costume or something? Before I could ponder the notion further, the bearded figure made an inquiry.

"And who exactly are you? I don't think I've seen you before in my life."

Slash responded with an inquiry of his own. "I should be asking you the same question! I never invited you here. What exactly are you doing?"

The dark-haired entity waved his index finger. "Ah, ah, ah! I asked you first!"

"Very well, then. My name is Slash, and these are my friends JJ and Azure. …Now, who are you and why are you here?"

"You can call me T. And as for what I'm doing, I'm trying to find the one that I love. …We should get along just fine… as long as you don't get in my way."

"Get in your way?! Just who do you think you're talking to-"

My yellow-tied friend stretched out his arm, attempting to quell the rising anger of the fiery-tempered mayor of Wildfire. "You know, if you stop being so anti-social, we might be able to aid in your search. Who exactly are you looking for?"

"…Like that's any of your business."

Despite the figure's grating behavior, my spiky-haired friend remained calm. "Well, if you're not going to tell us, we can't really help you much at all."

"Please, like I need any help… I can do this by myself. Besides, she wouldn't want help from the likes of you anyway…"

Just then, a proverbial light bulb went off in my head. Could this be the very same love-crazed stalker the three of us discussed earlier? There was only one way to find out.

"By any chance, is the person you're looking for named Raina?"

Upon hearing that name, I saw the dark-haired entity's face shifted into a scowl. Or at least, I thought it did. It was kind of hard to tell under that wall of fake facial hair.

"How did you know?! …Don't tell me…" The bearded figure took a deep breath. "Hmph. I should've known this would happen. Yet more obstacles stand between me and my beloved… Looks like you three will have to be dispatched… IN THE NAME OF LOVE!"

The figure threw aside his coat and fake beard, revealing him to be someone who looked like a kung-fu movie reject. Under the beard, he wore a face mask, which looked awkward alongside his casual attire. He also was wearing a bonnet, better suited for a colder climate than that of this town. Behind him, there was a large Siberian husky staring intently in our direction, its teeth bared.

"GET THEM!"

The gray-furred (non-anthropomorphic) canine leaped over his master's head and landed right on top of my spiky-haired friend. Seeing that JJ couldn't move, having the wind knocked out of him, the husky moved its sights onto me and Slash, lunging forward ferociously with its sharpened claws. We tried fighting back, but the dog was just too fast, weaving left and right, then raking away with its talons. It eventually managed to push the two of us to the edge of a cliff, and then went in for a full body tackle. I lost my footing while attempting to dodge it, but managed to barely hang on to a ledge in the cliff face. Slash, on the other hand, got hit head-on, landing him face-first into the trunk of a palm tree on the beach below.

"Excellent work, Howlitzer. …Now, let's get going." After T said those words, I barely managed to catch a glimpse of masked handler walking away towards the north side of town, with a triumphant look on his face.

Once the coast was clear, I dropped down to the sand below, running over to the tree where the flame-haired kid faceplanted.

"Are you all right?"

He slowly pushed himself off the sand. "H-heh… I took a sword stab to the gut, remember?… A little bump like that… ain't gonna do me in!" But given the big red stripe on his face that resulted from the impact, it was by no means 'a little bump'. Carrying the still dizzy and disoriented mayor on my shoulder, I made my way back up to higher ground to check up on JJ.

After propping Slash up on the fence of his house, I helped my yellow-tied friend slowly sit up while he came back to consciousness.

"Unnh… What just happened?…"

"Basically, T unleashed his dog on us and got away… I saw him go off in the direction of the train station, but that's all I know. …Any idea where he might be headed next?"

"I think I might actually…" My spiky-haired friend's face filled with worry. "He's going to my town next."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3: Gaining New Ground**_

"Your town? Why do you think T is heading over to your town?"

My spiky-haired friend took a deep breath, still recovering from his canine encounter, before answering.

"He knows… He knows all the places Raina frequently visits. The fact that we saw him here could only mean one thing. He must be searching around for her as we speak!"

It wasn't exactly good news, but at least we knew that the masked handler didn't have her in his custody. However, that didn't mean that he wasn't still a threat.

"W-we have to go after him!" Slash shakily managed to get back up to his feet, using the fence as an assist.

"I agree, but you're in no condition to go anywhere! JJ and I can chase him down, but you need to stay here and rest a bit."

The flame-haired youth shouted back loudly in protest. "H-hey! Why does he get to go and not me?!"

"Well, for one, it's his town. I wouldn't even know where to go without him. And two, he didn't land headfirst into a palm tree! I mean look, you can't even walk straight! You'd just trip over yourself every step of the way!"

"Nonsense! I can walk just fine!" The orange-haired kid ran ahead as he always did… and promptly charged right into another tree, causing an orange to drop right on his nose as he fell backward.

"…Slash?" My yellow-tied friend poked the mayor's face a couple times, but he was out cold. "Hmm. Guess we're leaving then!" And on that note, the two of us headed out to the next train.

After 15 or so minutes after the train departed, we disembarked at the place JJ said he governed as mayor.

"_Ding! We have arrived at Ground station. Please watch your step so you don't trip over fruit."_

I almost second-guessed my sense of hearing when that announcement came. "Trip over fruit"? What's that all about? But as soon as we exited the station, I got my answer. Amidst the vast forest of trees planted across the landscape, there were dozens, if not hundreds, of apples strewn throughout the town's verdant fields. Though I was curious as to why there was so much fruit just laying there, we had to track T down.

We searched frantically through the north half of town first, weaving our way through countless amounts of apples, several houses, and the occasional totem pole. Despite leaving no stone or fruit unturned, we saw no sign of that love-crazed stalker. We then moved our search toward the south side of town, heading for cobblestone bridge which cut across the town's river. But as soon as we crossed over, we heard a mischievous childish giggle off in the distance.

"Hee hee…"

Judging from the high pitch of the mysterious laughter, this wasn't the masked handler, or even his dog. Amusing as it would be for a Siberian husky to laugh like a little girl, it was obvious this was someone else entirely. My spiky-haired friend and I looked around the immediate vicinity, but saw nothing but apples trees and flowers.

"Where do you think that's coming from, JJ?"

"I dunno. Let's keep looking."

We got closer to the center of town, and we heard the giggle once again.

"Hee hee hee… What's the matter? You two blind or something? Hee hee…"

We stopped dead in our tracks, and cast a sweeping glance all around us, in an attempt to discern the voice's source. I found nothing unusual, but Ground's mellow mayor managed to spot something.

"Hey, Azure, does that look a little weird to you?"

Off to his right, he pointed to a conspicuously giant flower a few feet away from where we were. Its light purple petals twitched slightly, but there was no breeze blowing to cause it.

"You there! Show yourself!"

There was a brief moment of stillness, but then the fuchsia flora unraveled into full bloom, revealing it to be a girl dressed in a very elaborate floral-themed dress. Great, first an bearded guy/urban ninja, and now this. Somewhere a theater must be missing a couple of actors.

"Geez! It took you guys long enough! I was about throw this rock at you idiots!" She held a rock as big as my fist next to her face to affirm that statement. Her visage seemed vaguely familiar, but I was confident that I've never seen her before in my life. Tossing the rock aside, she continued speaking with the same bratty tone. "Well, well, if it isn't Justin, or should I say JJ? Long time, no see." She then turned her head to met my eyes. "Oh! And what happened to your half-naked friend? Did he finally decide to put some clothes on?"

OK, I suppose I do bear some resemblance to Wildfire's orange-haired mayor, but getting mistaken for him was one of the last things I wanted to have happen.

"Hey there, flower girl, you have the wrong guy. My name's Azure."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Slash." The fuchsia female waved her hand dismissively, obviously without a shred of respect. Despite her decorative garb, this is one flower girl no one would want at their wedding.

"Now! Bask in the beauty of the Violet Vixen, peasants! I'll be the prettiest thing you two will ever see in your pathetic lives!" I did every thing in my power to ignore the narcissistic proclamations of the child before us. And then, almost immediately, a thought sprung to mind; how in the world did she know our names?

"Hey, JJ, do you know this girl?"

"Yes, actually. She once dropped by when Slash, Raina and I got together a few months ago. She has a tendency to be a bit nosy, as well as noisy… Her name… is Lily."

Suddenly, the self-proclaimed Violet Vixen erupted into a fit. "Hey! You're not supposed to use my real- er, I mean… Filthy peasant! It's Violet Vixen! VIOLET. VIXEN. Can't you get that through your thick skull?!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Lily." I couldn't help but chuckle a little at JJ giving her a taste of her own medicine. The floral-garbed girl's face quickly became flushed red out of fury and embarrassment. After a few moments, she managed to reclaim enough composure to continue the conversation.

"Well, it seems like you two are tryin' to find someone! Is it by any chance that friend of yours Raina? Or is it that you're tryin' to find that guy fawning over her like a lovesick puppy? Perhaps it's both? Hee hee hee…" Lily had a impish grin on her face as she giggled, as if letting us know that she knew everything we did.

"So what if we are? Why do you care?"

"Oooh, answering a question with another question, huh? I guess I'll take that a 'yes'!" The girl spread her arms out wide, the petals of her dress unfurling like the wings of a skydiving suit. "Well, as much _fun_ as it was hangin' with you two, I've got a report to make now! So long, chumps!"

After she made her parting remarks, an unnaturally strong wind blew from behind us and swept the fuchsia female off her feet as she flew upward and we fell flat on our faces.

Once the gale had ceased, my spiky-haired friend and I slowly got back up unto our feet. But before we could stand, a loud growl came from behind. It definitely wasn't JJ's stomach this time around.

We turned our heads at the same time and found ourselves face-to-snout with an all-too-familiar Siberian husky. Looking up, we saw its bonnet-wearing master walk slowly into view, glaring angrily at us with those piercing eyes.

"You just never learn, do you…"


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4: Recurring Encounters**_

"Well, well, back for more are we?" The masked handler kept looking down at us derisively under the cover of his face mask. "Didn't learn your lesson from the last time we met, I see. What a shame." While his loyal Siberian husky continued to bare its fangs at our faces, T lifted his head and apparently spotted something in the sky.

"Hmm… so that's why…"

"…What are you talking about?", my spiky-haired friend inquired, trying to retain his composure as best he could.

"Don't play dumb with me! I know what you're up to! You're in league with that meddling pest, Lily, aren't you?!"

"No, we're not! Believe me, she's the last person we'd ever want to be associated with!" …Well, except perhaps for the masked handler himself, but now wasn't the best time to tell it straight to his face.

"Lies! The only things coming out of your mouths besides the faint stench of fish are lies! You're conspiring with her to keep my beloved from me! Tell me where she is! RIGHT. NOW."

"We don't know where she is! We're searching for her, same as you!" Despite saying these words, I had a strong feeling that they weren't going to prevent the situation from escalating further.

"Stop denying it already! I saw you two talking with that pesky flower girl a minute ago! And another thing! Don't you even _dare_ put me in the same group as you guys! You have no idea what it means to be in love! Seriously, I'm supposed to believe you two are chasing after Raina for the sake of a connection as tenuous as friendship?! Don't make me laugh! That's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard!"

I wanted to speak out against what he was saying, but T interrupted me before I could even utter a sound.

"Don't even! I'm done with all this talk! …I used Howlitzer to deal with you guys the last time, but that was obviously not enough to deter you. This time, I'll have to handle you two personally!" The masked handler crouched down slightly. "So now… DIE IN THE NAME OF LOVE!"

The love-crazed stalker swiftly grabbed 2 sharp pieces of metal from his back pocket, presumably throwing stars, and sent them flying straight at our heads. JJ and I rolled in opposite directions, managing to just barely avoid our untimely demise. We stood up as quickly as we could, and tried to catch him off-guard with a two-pronged attack, but he saw through it.

The masked handler sidestepped my attempt to land punch on his face, and grabbed my spiky-haired friend by the tie to throw him into a nearby tree… Only for that yellow tie to break free.

"Nice try! It's a clip-on!"

JJ then proceeded to kick T square in the stomach, knocking the dark-haired fighter backward. But he recovered quickly, and threw another salvo of metal projectiles at our heads. While narrowly avoiding yet another possible fatal blow, one managed to nick my cheek.

"Enough games! It's time to finish you guys off!"

As soon as he said that, a small knife came from his sleeve. With a flick of the wrist, the tiny dagger's blade revealed itself to be much larger than it appeared at first. With the two of us being unarmed, the only sensible course of action now was to get away from him as fast as possible. With a savage shout, T ran after us, weapon brandished, ready to deal some damage. We had to keep moving forward, but it was difficult, giving we had to dodge even more of the masked assassin's seemingly endless supply of throwing stars. Though it couldn't have been more than a few minutes, the chase felt like an eternity, running through Ground's fruit-covered fields, amassing more and more stinging scrapes from T's steel projectiles. Then the inevitable happened.

One of his stars embedded itself in my leg, causing me fall right into a pile of apples. It wasn't exactly the softest landing. My yellow-tied friend knelt down to ask if I was okay, but that brief pause gave the opening T needed to catch up.

JJ tried to rise up and disarm the dark-haired fighter, but he was promptly kicked aside. The masked swordsman then raised his retractable blade.

"You should've just stayed back at town like that half-naked carrot-top. It seems he was the only one of your lot smart enough to know not to get in the way of love… But unfortunately for you two, it's too late for that." I tried to escape, but with an injured leg, I didn't get very far before T firmly planted his foot on my chest. "I must say, you did give me a good _run_ for my money, but now its over!"

I watched on fearfully, as if it were in slow-motion, the blade shining brightly in the afternoon sun overhead, coming down closer and closer, before it would ultimately end my life.

But suddenly, I saw an orange-hued blur come in from the background.

"Hey! Who are you calling a carrot-top, mask face?!"

T swiftly ducked and jumped out of the way as two blades crossed where the love-crazed stalker's neck had been only a moment ago.

I looked up and saw the blades' wielder was none other than Slash, posing triumphantly against the sun's bright radiance, still scantily-clad as ever. Thankfully no wind was blowing, or else I may have seen way more than I was comfortable with.

"Looks like I got here just in time, huh! Don't ya know its too dangerous to go alone, without a weapon? Here, take this."

The flame-haired kid tossed me a familiar blue-hilted blade, the same one I wielded that fateful night on Lunar Bridge. Tied at the hilt's end was a small flask with filled with an orange-colored fluid. I partook of the flask, feeling re-energized in an instant. As I got back on my feet, I checked around me to see the status of my spiky-haired, but he was nowhere to be found. Curious as I was about JJ's whereabouts, there was no time to dwell on the matter. T had to be stopped.

I charged ahead in tandem with Slash, while the dark-haired fighter reached once again into his back pocket. But no throwing stars came out this time. His supply had (finally) ran out. With eyes widened, as if to say _"Holy shuriken, this looks bad!"_, the masked swordsman drew his blade again and rushed forward in desperation. His attack was aimed at Slash, but the flame-haired kid easily avoided it. Wildfire's mayor then gave me a quick glance, indicating it was time to go on the offensive.

Through several synchronized swipes, we managed to push the love-crazed stalker back to the north side of town. T barely managed to avoid most of the strikes, but eventually got hit by a diagonal slice from Slash's orange-hilted blade. T stumbled backward in pain, but nonetheless kept on running.

As we drew closer to Ground's train station, the dark-haired fighter made a mad dash for the station's entrance, clutching his wound, as the sound of a train whistle echoed from the east side of town. As we ran after him, T took off his bonnet and pulled out two tiny black spheres marked with golden exclamation points.

"I can't waste any more of my time with the likes of you… I've got more important matters to attend to! So long!"

He then threw the two spheres right at our feet, and immediately the ground below gave way, trapping me and Slash in a deep pit that soon filled with dirt and several of the scattered apples around us. All the while, the masked handler boarded the train, reunited with his husky, Howlitzer, who apparently went back towards the station during the fight, and rode off into the tunnel carved into western cliffs.

Slash and I struggled to escape that tricky pitfall we fell in, but we couldn't attain freedom until a familiar face assisted us.

"Hey, are you guys all right?! Sorry, I'm late, it took me forever to find this thing! Where did T go?"

My yellow-tied friend pulled both of us out while he carried an impressive-looking broadsword with a stone block where the blade's point should have been in his free hand.

"He got away… Again." However, the flame-haired youth didn't seem very shaken up by the fact this time around. "But worry not! It's all going according to plan!"

"What do you mean?"

"It's simple, really! I implanted a tracking device on the tips of our katana! Not the most efficient way, I'll admit, but it certainly did the trick!" With an impish smirk, Wildfire's mayor pulled out a small device, with a small dot slowly moving across the screen. "Well then! Ready to give chase once the next train arrives, guys?"

JJ and I were about to say yes when a voice came from across the tracks.

"WAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIT!"

The three of us turned and saw a pelican in a green postal uniform, frantically pulling an envelope from his hefty mailbag.

"Hold it! Before you guys go anywhere, I have a special delivery for JJ here!"

The pelican ran over to Ground's mayor and handed him the letter.

"Oh, thanks, Pete! Who's it from?"

The postal pelican steadied his breathing before responding. "It's an express delivery from Lady Tiger off in Yakushi! I got it here as fast as I could!" He then handed JJ a letter opener. "You should probably read it right away!"

Inside the envelope, there was a letter written in intricate cursive handwriting on a decorative piece of stationery.

"_Justin, I have witnessed an unusual turn of events take place within my town recently. I am under the impression that the information I have uncovered as a result might be of great importance to your search. As soon as you are able, please visit me in Yakushi. I shall elaborate further upon your arrival."_

"Hmm… Well, it appears we've got a change in itinerary, huh JJ?" The flame-haired youth energetically raised his fist toward the sky. "All righty then! Next stop, Yakushi!"


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5: Through the Eyes of the Tiger**_

"So…", the flame-haired kid muttered awkwardly while still in his dramatic pose, "How long exactly are we gonna hafta wait till we can leave, anyway? I sure hope Ground's train schedule isn't anything like Wildfire's; I'm not really in the mood to stand around for a whole hour…"

"Well, no need to fret!" JJ directed our attention to the sea off in the horizon, over which I could discern a mass of land. "Yakushi's actually not that far off from here, and we have a ferry service that runs between our towns! In fact, it's a lot quicker than taking the train, even if we didn't have to wait for the next one!"

"Well, ferry boat it is then."

When we came to the dock on the south side of town, I saw a small motorboat, only big enough to fit about 4 people and its captain. Said captain was green-skinned and wore a blue Hawaiian shirt. Around his head was a thin ring of dark hair, surrounding a very prominent bald spot. He vaguely resembled some kind of sea creature, but what it was exactly, I didn't know. As we drew closer, the green-skinned captain addressed my spiky-haired friend.

"Gar! Hello there, JJ! I see ye be bringin' a couple of your buddies with ya! Where ye be headin' to?"

"The three of us are going to over to Yakushi, Kapp'n!"

"That'll 1,000 bells."

JJ pulled out a small bag of coins from pocket and lightly tossed it to the Kapp'n's outstretched hand.

"Now, how 'bout I sing ye one o' my sea shanties for your journey!"

The three of us set out across the sea, while the Kapp'n sang about his love for cucumbers as the sun started to set in the horizon. Along the way, we apparently had an encounter with a school of "tootfish" lurking underwater, but I had a sneaking suspicion that they didn't really exist. For some reason, Wildfire's flame-haired mayor was especially fidgety at that moment.

Once we docked at Yakushi, night was on the verge of falling, the last vestiges sunlight fading away from view. After waving farewell to our shanty-singing ferryman, JJ directed us to the northeastern corner of town. On our way there, we spotted various patches of assorted flowers in full bloom under the sky's dim orange light, as well as a few pieces of elaborately-built architecture scattered about.

My spiky-haired friend soon stopped us in front of a fairly large, playfully-decorated residence. He knocked on the door, seeing light shining through the built-in window.

"Hey there, Tiger! It's JJ and company!"

When the door opened, a girl appeared dressed in oriental-style apparel, with straight, silvery hair stopping just above her shoulders.

"Oh! There you guys are! Please, come on in!"

Upon entry, I saw that the house's interior was as playfully-decorated as the exterior, the wallpaper and flooring exuded the ambience of a fictional spacecraft, and several toys were also strewn across the room. Between the interior design and the girl's down-to-earth style of speaking, it didn't seem to fit with the eloquently-written formal letter she had sent.

As we sat down, I inquired whether the silver-haired girl had indeed been the sender, showing her the letter in question.

"Oh that. Yes, it was a message from me, but I did not write it personally. I must say, she really likes to be formal." Tiger turned her head to the right and raised her voice slightly. "Oh Season! Care to greet our guests this evening?"

From the right-hand doorway, another girl emerged, holding a feather duster in hand. Her hair and clothing were both colored a red hue. She bowed briefly before speaking.

"Welcome, honored visitors! This is the fair town of Yakushi. Please, do make yourselves comfortable in Lady Tiger's estate!"

"Guys, this is my housekeeper, Season. Season, would you be so kind as to bring our guests some tea?"

"Right away, Lady Tiger!"

The crimson-clothed housekeeper briskly made her way upstairs. Once she was out of sight, the silver-haired girl soon shifted her gaze back to me. "Hmm… I don't believe we've met before. What's your name?"

"My name's Azure, Lady Tiger. I only met Slash and JJ recently, but I am here to aid in their search."

She promptly raised up her hand. "Please, just call me Tiger. 'Lady' was the title I received upon taking the office of mayor. It admittedly has a nice ring to it, but there's really no need for the formalities. Season only uses it because of her tendency to be very formal when meeting new people. But rest assured, she's a really warm person once you get to know her! In any case, it's nice to meet you Azure."

The redhead soon came back downstairs, holding a tray filled with four steaming cups of tea. Once the drinks were served, Slash was the first to speak.

"Well, now that we're all properly introduced, let's get down to business, shall we? You said you had some info that could help our search, right?"

"Of course." Tiger lowered her cup after taking a sip. "A few days ago, a dark-haired man came here and inquired the whereabouts of someone who fit the description your friend Raina. If you meet up with him, it might bring you closer to finding her."

I had a strong feeling I knew who she was talking about, but we had to be sure. "By any chance, was he accompanied by a canine?"

"Actually, yes. It was a large Siberian husky, if memory serves."

Upon hearing those words, I met eyes with Slash and JJ, undoubtedly thinking the same thing I was. It was T.

"What happened when you saw him, Tiger?! Did he go on some love-crazed rampage?"

Yakushi's mayor tilted her head quizzically. "Rampage? What do you mean, JJ? He didn't seem all that unpleasant when we met. When I told him I didn't know where she was, the dark-haired figure thanked me for my time and went on his way. I can't say I knew him for very long, but he didn't seem to be the crazed-stalker type. You sure we're referring to the same person?"

This behavior was certainly out-of-character for the masked handler. Storming off in a fit of rage was more up his alley. Though this inconsistency was puzzling, Tiger had more information to share.

"…Nevertheless, I had a run-in with a young girl in a flowery dress earlier today. She told me that the wind carried her the wrong way, and was looking for the quickest way to Overlook. If I remember correctly, that's the name of Raina's town, right?" Slash and JJ gave a quick nod, after sipping their cups of tea.

"I told her it was the next train stop after your towns, but she just stomped the ground in frustration and said that was the wrong direction. After shouting more than a few obscenities, she spread her arms and rode a strong gale that suddenly blew from behind. Does this sound like anyone you know?"

"Yes, it does actually. That was Lily. JJ and I also had an encounter with her. Definitely not the nicest person to meet. Do you know which way she flew off in?"

The silver-haired mayor pondered the question for a moment, then responded. "West. I remember she flew off west."

Putting down his now-empty cup, Slash stood up abruptly. "All right then! I guess we know where to head off next! Tiger, thanks for the tea and the info!" The flame-haired youth was interrupted by a chorus of crickets chirping out in the chilly air. "I was about to say it's time to resume our search, but it's getting a bit late. I suppose we'll just take our leave and-"

"Wait." The silver-haired girl stood back, arm outstretched. "You look like you've all had a pretty rough day, so why don't you three stay here for the night! There's plenty of room here for you to rest!"

As much as I didn't want to impose on our generous host, my eyelids started to feel heavier. It also became apparent that I wasn't alone in my desire for rest, as my spiky-haired friend subtly stifled a yawn.

"That certainly sounds like a great idea. Thank you, Tiger."

The red-haired housekeeper then directed me to a room off to the left. As impressive as the golden walls and décor shimmering in the moonlight was, the foremost thought on my mind was to get some sleep. I made my way over to a soft, comfortable bed to get as much rest as I could.

I had a feeling tomorrow was going to be long, _long_, day.

**Author's Note: Hey there, again! This is the Golurker, once again! With college starting back up, I probably won't be able to update as much as I'd like to. But rest assured, I'll keep writing when I can! In the mean time, please feel free to provide some feedback! It brings me a special kind of joy to see that review count to go up. Until next time, Golurker out!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow. It's been over a month since my last update. I blame college! As well as Winter Break, but I'm not complaining about that one. However, the next update shouldn't take this long, provided I go through my homework like a knife through Azure! …Eh, that was a bad analogy. But in any case, please enjoy the sixth chapter of the Wild Azure Yonder!**

_**Chapter 6: Dream of That One Day**_

The next thing I knew, I found myself in a small room with walls of a light sea green hue. Off in the corner was a wooden shelf filled with various oceanic-themed objects under a few small wall-mounted fish. There was a bed in the center of the room, on which sat a girl with long brown hair. She was staring wistfully at snow-covered scenery through a large window on the right side, framed with a white lace curtain.

I had no doubt that I was once again in a dream, but many questions still flooded my mind. What exactly was I seeing? Where was this place? How did I even end up here? I certainly don't remember anyone calling my name this time around. And this girl… could it be?

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice permeated the air, breaking the silence.

"Now, now, what ever is the matter? You seem very down." The voice seemed to sound concerned, but the tone was also faintly sardonic. "Are you perhaps longing for _them_? How foolish of you…"

"You don't get a thing!" The brunette turned her head in the opposite direction, apparently glaring at some invisible figure. In doing so, I was able to see the girl's face. Sure enough, it was none other than the one I met that fateful night: Raina. With a pained expression, she continued her protest. "You didn't have to do this, isolating me from everyone! Why can't you understand?!"

The unseen voice responded in turn. "It is _you_ who does not understand. Can you not see? I only take this course of action to protect you."

"Protect me from what exactly?! My friends?! Just because you've never met them doesn't mean they're bad people! Why don't you trust me?!"

"Trust you? _Trust you?!_ Why should I?! Especially after that… after that _boyfriend_?!" The omnipresent voice spat out the word in great disgust. "Quit wallowing in your ignorance! We are the only company you ever really need. Just do yourself a favor and cease pining for these extraneous imbeciles at once!"

Raina looked like she was give another spirited retort, but she instead sunk her head in resignation. "…Honestly, it's no use trying to get through to you. It's like holding a conversation with a brick wall. If that's all you're going to say, just leave me alone."

The hidden voice let out a sigh. "Very well, have it your way. Just know I will return to check in again on you later. So do not get any ideas…"

On that note, the imprisoned brunette returned her gaze to the room's lone window. "I swear, one day, we will meet again. I don't know how, I don't know when, but I just know there's a way…. There has to be." But her head sank down once again and sighed. "Oh, who am I kidding… They've probably forgotten about me by now. I mean after all, it's been so long ever since we last met… Plus, if they did remember, they would've found a way already… right?"

Through the sea-themed room, tears started to flow, both on my face and hers. I just couldn't bear being a bystander to this scene any longer.

"No, you're wrong!"

Immediately, she turned her head and looking me straight in the eyes. "H-hey! It's you! What are you doing here, Azure?!"

"To tell the truth, I'm not really sure how I got here… But there is something I do know. Your friends are out searching for you, myself included! None of us ever forgot for a moment about you! We searched your entire town, ran into some troublesome characters, and even fought for our lives on more than one occasion! But not once did we ever give up on you! So don't say things like that! We'll find a way to be reunited, I promise!"

"…So, you all really didn't forget…" She wiped away her tears as a small smile surfaced. However, that smile faded just as soon as it came. "That's great and all but not really much I can do, now is there. I'm being watched practically 24/7... Trust me, I've tried making contact in the past, but my efforts were shut down as quickly as they started. So basically, I'm stuck here…"

"Well, if you can't come to us, we'll come to you! Is there anything you can tell me about this place? Anything that could bring us one step closer?"

Just then, I could hear a series of footsteps off in the distance, growing louder and louder by the second.

"Back already? …I should've guessed…"  
"Who are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry, but there isn't much time to explain! I can say though, that voice earlier belongs to the one keeping me here! If and when you meet, be careful! Not exactly the most friendly person in the world to deal with. And as for where I am, there may be something you've overlooked!" Raina then thrust her arm forward. "Now go! Before you're found out!"

I wished I could have stayed in that room, even if for just a little bit longer, but the scene before me grew more distant and started to fade away, as a feeling of longing and slight déjà vu came over me.

I suddenly jolted awake, and immediately hit my head on something hard.

"OWWWWWWW! Man, watching where you're waking up, will ya!"

Off to the side, I saw Wildfire's messy-haired mayor on the ground, clutching his forehead on the golden floor of the room. But ever the bundle of energy he was, he quickly jumped back on his feet, seemingly unfazed. "In any case, it's time to go! T's on the move again, and time stops for no one! Trust me, I've tried!" Grabbing me by the wrist once again, Slash brought me out the front door.

Upon exiting the main doorway, I saw that everyone else was outside already, with Tiger at the forefront, accompanied by JJ and her housekeeper Season, against the backdrop of the blinding sun. The silver-haired mayor of Yakushi was the first to speak.

"It appears the time has come for the search to resume. I would accompany you on your journey, but I still business to attend to in town. Which is why I'm sending Season in my place."

"It truly is an honor, Lady Tiger." The crimson-clothed girl took a courteous bow, and continued to speak. "Earlier this morning, we devised a plan. Given that there are two targets, we should split up into two teams. I will be accompanying JJ in tracking down Lily-"

"Which means you're with me, Azure! T won't get away this time!"

"Uh, don't I get any say in this?"

"Ya could've if ya woke up earlier. Heh heh!" Slash flashed a big grin and clapped me on the shoulder. "Besides, we make a great team! We woulda got him last time if wasn't for that dirty pitfall trick! Ya don't have anything to be worried about!"

"…I suppose you're right."

JJ then spoke up, "After we find our respective targets, we can regroup back here and discuss our next course of action. So, are you ready?"

A resounding and unanimous "Yes!" pierced through the morning air. On that note, we each went our separate ways; Slash and I toward the train station, JJ and Season heading toward the docks.

Several minutes passed by in relative silence, with only the sound of the train's locomotion and faint beeping of the flame-haired youth's alliteratively-named T Tracker in the background. While we rode on to the stalker's location, I wondered what Raina meant about us overlooking something. I wanted to share what I saw in my dream, but I didn't have any idea what she meant. Was it something in her town? A clue in her room? No matter what I could think of, nothing really stood out that could bring us closer to finding her.

"Looks like something's on your mind, Azure." Looking up, I saw Slash staring directly at me, expression filled with genuine concern.

"Uh, yeah, there is actually. …Last night, I saw Raina again in my dreams."

"Really?!" The orange-haired kid swiftly lunged forward out of his seat and grabbed me by the shoulders. "You actually saw her?! Is she okay?! Did she say anything?! You have to tell me!"

Just then, the train made a reasonably sharp turn, causing the flame-haired youth to veer off to the side and slam into the window with a loud THUD. After giving him a few moments to regain his composure and take his seat again, I responded his inquiries.

"She wasn't hurt, thankfully, but she's still in isolation, constantly being watched by someone."

"Did you by any chance see what this someone's looked like, or get their name?"

"No, unfortunately, I only heard the voice."

"Hmm…. So all we have to go on is some mysterious entity of malicious intent…"

"Well, she did say something that could help. She said that we might've overlooked something, but I don't know what it could be."

He pondered that statement for a while, but ultimately came up with nothing either. "Oh well, maybe JJ and Season will figure something out. But right now, let's focus on finding T. Even if he doesn't know anything, we can't have him ambushing us every step of the way. We have to end this, once and for all."

His face turned into a determined scowl as he said those words, eyes burning as a blue flame. The faint beeping of the Slash's tracking device started growing louder and faster, indicating the time of confrontation drew nigh.

However, something didn't feel quite right. The train hadn't slowed down at all, and the conductor had yet to announce another stopover. We were getting very close to the love-crazed stalker's location, but the next station wasn't anywhere nearby. It didn't make any sense. …Unless…

A loud THUMP came from outside, immediately followed by a piece of metal ripping through the roof of the train car. After carving out a fairly large hole, two figures dropped down through it: one human and one canine.

"Well, well, persistent, aren't we. …Hmph." The dark-haired intruder pulled out his all-too-familiar signature blade from his sleeve. "They say persistence pays off, but unfortunately for you... The only wages you'll get this time… IS DEATH!"

And the canine howled in agreement.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7: Stay on Track**_

"…'Wages of death'? Seriously?" The orange-haired mayor's determined expression faded when he did his best to stifle a laugh. "C'mon now! As a master of wordplay and metaphors, I know there's so many other more intimidating things to say! Is that really the best you could come up with?!"

"…E-excuse me?"

"Ya could've said something like, 'There's no light at the end of this tunnel!" or maybe even 'This is your last stop!" But that? So mediocre…"

The masked handler quickly became enraged at the criticism of his malicious greeting. "GRAAAH! D-Don't you get it?! I am here to KILL you! Your lives are going to END! And there is NO ESCAPE! And your response… is to nitpick at my WORD CHOICE?!"

With a confident smirk on his face, Slash continued his taunting. "Well, of course! What else would I do in this situation? Run away, like you did the last time we met?"

I didn't think it was possible, but somehow T's temper became even more heated that it was a second ago. He erupted into a fit of angry grunts that vaguely resembled language, before finally shouting, "WELL AT LEAST I'M NOT HALF-NAKED!"

"What's the matter? Don't like being _exposed_ to the truth? Or is it that you aren't a fan of witty repartee?"

"GRRRR… REPARTEE THIS!"

Immediately, T and his dog charged at us simultaneously, blade brandished and fangs bared. Grabbing our respective swords from our seats, we met the threat head on, deflecting both of the initial strikes.

"Heh, predictable!"

Slash's taunting remark only further fueled the masked swordsman's rage, causing him to furiously make attack after attack. Even while fending off that dog Howlitzer, I could see that orange-hilted blade's wielder certainly hadn't lost his touch, evading and counterattacking each strike with ease. Through the clashing of the swords and guttural canine growls, there emerged more verbal warfare.

"That blade of yours isn't very big, T. Do you think you can beat me with that puny little thing?

"What's it matter to you?! I don't need it at full size to deal with the likes of YOU PUNY IMBECILES!"

"Yeah, sure you don't. Just keep telling yourself that..."

"...FINE! If that's how you want to play, SO BE IT!"

The masked fighter pushed the orange-haired kid backward and pushed a button on the hilt of his signature weapon. Almost instantaneously, it grew to a massive size; so large, it was a wonder that T could even swing it around with both hands. How something that big could come from a tiny dagger was beyond me, but if I could regenerate severed body parts, I suppose anything was possible.

With renewed ferocity, he slashed wildly once again, letting out a savage battle cry while chopping off little pieces of the train seats. Worried as I was, I didn't have time to see how Slash fared against him now; I still had my own battle to fight.

I grabbed the husky by its paws, managing to literally get it off my back, but it just got rose up again and raked away at me with its claws. It wasn't easy parrying away attacks from something half my height and ducking every time T swung his ridiculously giant blade, but I somehow managed to hold my own. As the battle wore on, I was able to see that Wildfire's mayor was faring rather well against his foe; even while receiving a few fleeting wounds, he managed to avoid being chopped in half. The tide of the battle shifted back and forth between us and our enemies, but it appeared that we were on the path to victory as Slash and I gradually wore them down.

Then the train suddenly made a sharp left.

The next thing I knew, I'm sandwiched between the walls of the train car and something fuzzy. I couldn't see much over whatever fell on top of me, but I still could hear a voice speak that was undeniably T's.

"Well, well, it appears things have take a _turn_ for the worse. And to think, you called me mediocre! To let yourselves get _derailed_ by something like that?!" He took a few short breaths before continuing. "Hmph, now that's what I call mediocre! Guess all the confidence of yours was just thinly veiled ignorance! …But you know what? I don't care about that anymore! You've been a thorn in my side from the start, and now is the time to GET RID OF Y-"

The dark haired fighter never finished that last sentence, as he met the receiving end of an orange-hued impact. As my view became unobstructed, I saw it was Slash, standing up with sword in hand.

"I know I'm not the best person in the world to say this, but… do you ever stop talking? If you wanna go on a tirade, make sure your enemy can't strike back, that could throw the whole thing off. Trust me, I know." After those remarks, the flame-haired youth's expression shifted back to the previous determined scowl, glaring at the wounded intruder with his blazing blue eyes. "You may not know where Raina is, but there is something I still want to know… Why are you doing this… Why are you constantly trying to kill us?!"

"You just don't get it, do you… I'm doing this for the sake of LOVE! This attraction… this emotion… this sublime feeling… DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN LOVE?! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! DON'T YOU KNOW A THING ABOUT THIS WONDROUS FORCE THAT DRIVES PEOPLE THROUGH LIFE?!"

A few unsettling moments passed by in silence, the flame-haired youth standing speechless. He took a deep breath before responding to T's screamed inquiry.

"…No. I don't understand. …All my life, I haven't really understood that concept. The affection, the devotion, none of that ever really made sense to me. Maybe it was because of me always being so focused with my ambitions. Maybe it was of the childhood social awkwardness that I still haven't quite outgrown. Maybe it was a whole host of other factors. But fact of the matter is, no. Love, at least in the romantic sense, has always been something I've never understood."

Slash reached across and clutched his shoulder like I saw him do before in times of tumultuous emotions. A few more moments of silence passed, but then he lifted his head and continued speaking with sincere conviction.

"However! If there's one thing I know, it's that this is _not_ love! This, regardless of what you may call it, is one-sided obsession! Take it from me, I know all about what obsession is! Sure it drives people, but to what? Madness and despair." The orange-haired youth flashed a small glance back at me, as to acknowledge everything that took place since I first set foot in his town, before redirecting his attention to the dark-haired intruder.

"All this time, you've tried to stop us. All this time, you've tried to end our lives! These are the very same lives of people she calls friends, and yet you wish to snuff them out! All this time, you just wanted selfishly push us aside! …All you wanted… was to just have her all to yourself!"

For the first time, I saw the love-crazed stalker's normally fierce and piercing gaze fade momentarily.

"Answer me this, T! Do you honestly think that Raina is "in love" with you?"

The only response that was given was a conflicted stare, as I could feel the train we were riding gradually slowed down. The doors opened, and in lieu of a snappy parting remark, the masked handler uttered something in a subdued voice.

"Come, Howlitzer…"

The Siberian husky bolted in from beyond my field of vision, and promptly carried its injured master outside. Given his current condition, chasing after him would not be necessary. He wouldn't be causing us any more trouble any time soon.

After that arduous battle, both the flame-haired youth and I welcomed the respite that came from sitting back down on the somehow mostly intact train seats. As the vehicle reversed its course back to the town of Yakushi, I considered talking with Wildfire's mayor about the events that had just transpired. However, it was clear he wasn't in the mood for conversation. The rest of the way back, he simply stared contemplatively out the car's windows, not saying another word.

When we arrived back in Tiger's town, the sun was shining down directly overhead, indicating it must have been around noon. We saw no sign of our other search team anywhere around town, so we made our way over to the docks to await their return.

About an hour passed by, with Tiger joining us by the ocean when she found time to take a break from her mayoral duties. Then off in the distance, we could see a boat coming closer with two passengers. Once the watercraft had come ashore, we saw the two passengers a lot more clearly: the Kapp'n, face flushed with panicked concern; and JJ, slumped over the starboard side, with his signature yellow tie in tatters.

"Gar! You three! I dunno what happened to this buddy o' yours, but he be needing serious help! Fast!"

My spiky-haired friend managed to disembark the boat on his own and tentatively stumble his way onto the wooden dock.

"What in the world happened to you?!"

He managed to utter only two words before falling unconscious: "S-something… terrible…"


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8: A Second Glance**_

Given the condition my yellow-tied friend was in, we headed back to Wildfire, so Slash could remedy his wounds. Apparently, he was very adept as fixing wounds, even if his previous displays of bedside manner were… somewhat lacking. The three of us carried JJ until we got back to town. With his shallow breathing, he must've been hanging on for dear life. Within half an hour, we entered the main room of my former residence: the lab. Weird as it was returning to this place, there was a life at stake.

When the orange-haired kid laid him on the metal table, we saw JJ was battered and bruised all over his body and his hair was singed at the tips of his usual spikes. His right foot was also twisted in a way that didn't seem natural. It was hard to tell, but it looked like a few bones may have even been broken. With such an extent of afflictions, whatever did this to him was ruthless. I got the feeling if he didn't escape on that boat, he may not have survived the ordeal.

As the flame-haired youth patched him up, Ground's mayor slowly regained consciousness. He definitely was still in need of recovery, but despite the severity of his injuries, he was eager to tell us what events took place. He took a deep breath, and then began his tale.

"It all began when we came back to my town. When the Kapp'n dropped us off, Season managed to spot something flying through the air from the west. I thought it was just a bird, until it screamed something really loud."

Slash interrupted to ask, "What exactly did it say?"

JJ responded in a high-pitched voice. "'I AM THE VIOLET VIXEN!'"

I only knew one person who talked like that: the bratty flower girl, Lily.

"Oh! Sorry, did I wrap your ankle too tight?"

"Yeah, just a little, Slash…"My spiky-haired friend cleared his throat before continuing. "In any case, we took the next train headed in her direction. We were able to see Lily was still flying high throughout the ride. It was only when we drew closer to Raina's town did she to start to descend. Once we arrived, we kept a safe distance and followed that flower girl around until she stopped in front of this small house on the south side. It was surrounded by black roses and a few leafless trees. She knocked on the door, and a few seconds later, someone walked outside wearing some sort of mechanical suit."

I immediately remembered encountering that same figure during my past visit to Overlook. What sort of role did play in all this? Could this be the very thing Raina said we overlooked? Curious as I was, I let JJ continue his account.

"We stood too far to hear the conversation those two had, but we did see Lily walk inside. Season and I waited for a few moments, then entered ourselves. In spite of the sunlight outside, the interior was pitch black. Judging from the exterior, the house was small, but the room itself seemed to go on forever. We searched around, but couldn't see anyone inside. Not surprising, considering we couldn't even see ourselves in the dark of the place! However, we heard a voice echo through the air, that seemed to come from everywhere."

Doing his best attempt to emulate that voice, he told us what it said.

"Hmm… Spiky hair, a yellow tie… You must the Justin person I heard so much about… I do not recognize you, girl, but I presume you two are here for the same reason, correct? To meet up with that friend Raina of yours?"

His rendition of the speaker significantly resembled the omnipresent voice I heard in my dream. JJ resumed his story in his normal voice.

"Remaining as calm as I could, I told that was indeed our purpose in coming. A period of silence followed, and then the voice spoke again. '…I see. If that is why you are here, then I shall only tell you once: leave the place immediately! Do not even set foot in this town ever again. If you heed not my word of warning, I will be forced to use… drastic measures."

With a concerned look on her face, Tiger inquired, "What happened after that? And what happened to Season?"

"Well, naturally, I refused to listen to that voice, but for a while, nothing happened. Then out of nowhere, something hit me in the stomach, and it hit me hard! I tried getting back up, but then something hit me from behind! I turned around to defend myself, but the impacts just kept coming from all around me! Off to my right, I could hear Season worriedly ask if I was OK, but then her voice suddenly became muffled. After I got hit a few more painful times, something lit up from further back in that pitch-black room. It was a circular ball of light around my eye level, slowly growing larger and larger. And then I heard the voice speak one last time. 'This is what happens when you get too far in matters you should not meddle with!' The ball of light then flew quickly my way, aimed directly at my face! I ducked down at the last second, and got out of there as fast as I could! I literally dodged that blast by only a hair! I ran for the docks, thinking I would be followed, but whatever shot at me didn't seem give chase."

The silver-haired girl in our midst looked down slightly. "Oh… I see."

"I was in such a hurry though, that on the way I tripped and bent my ankle in a really uncomfortable angle. The Kapp'n must've seen me, because he ran to my side and carried me to his boat. I looked back to check if Season made it out, but there was no sign of her. I wanted to go back to get her! …But I didn't have enough strength to make it back there. I didn't even have enough strength to escape the Kapp'n's grip on my tie as he stopped me from disembarking his vessel. …Looking back on it though, that may have actually saved my life."

"Wow, you certainly had a tough time… Just glad ya were able to make it back here!" Slash was just about finished treating JJ's injuries, using all the medical supplies he had at his disposal. Knowing his capabilities, my yellow-tied friend was almost certainly as good as new, stamina and tattered tie aside.

"Well, it's far from over. We have to head back there, and deal with this… whatever it is. This figure obviously has something to with Raina! I think it might even be the one who's holding her! We can't afford to lose a second!

The orange-haired kid offered a few words of admonishment, "Given everything you've been through, don't ya think you should get some rest? Even a little? I fixed ya up as best as I could, but you must still be exhausted."

My spiky-haired friend didn't say another word, but his face said all that needed to be known. He wasn't going to stay here while there was a goal that still needed to be pursued. The flame-haired youth then gave a little smirk.

"I must say, that's pretty gutsy answer. I like gutsy! Luckily for you, I have just the thing!"

He rushed to the lab's fridge and grabbed a vial of familiar orange-hued liquid. "This oughta help ya keep on going!"

Ground's mayor drank from the vial, and soon became filled with newfound energy. "All right then, everyone! Now that we're all set, shall we head on over to Overlook?"

A unanimous "Yes!" resonated loudly in the laboratory walls.

Within the next hour, we set foot once again on the snowy fields of Overlook. Needless to say, the tension ran high in the atmosphere, each and every one of us determined to accomplish what we set out to do, no matter what happened. And as we made our way of over to the site of JJ's conflict, that tension only kept escalating. At least, it did, until Slash erupted into a sneezing fit.

"ACHOO! ACHOO! Man… I really, _really_ hate the- ACHOO!- cold!"

The problem could've been solved if he put more clothes on, but for some reason, he adamantly refused to. Why he wanted to go into a snowy climate wearing nothing but a grass skirt was beyond me, but nonetheless, the four of us kept on course, with the chilled and sneezing mayor of Wildfire leading the way.

We were on the verge of reaching the deceptively small residence, when something flew from the nearby cliffs and landed directly on top of him.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAA- ACHOO!"

The thing that landed on the flame-haired youth was none other than Lily, still as colorfully clothed and spoken as ever. Once a string of various profanities gibberish rants of rage left her mouth, she finally spoke with some semblance of cohesion.

"EEWWW! Gross! For cryin' out loud, cover your mouth, you sicko!"

"…I-it would've been a lot easier to do that if ya didn't fall right on toppa me…"

"Eh, whatever, the great Violet Vixen will choose to ignore your transgression for now! You _did_ made a nice landing pad."

"Y-yeah… Glad I could help… But think ya could… GET OFFA ME?!"

Slash quickly rose up out of the snow, causing that flower girl to tumble less than gracefully to the ground. Not a single one of us could resist laughing as she fell, even if some of us were more subtle at doing it than others. Lily then sat up, face flushed red from a combination of chilling snow and heated fury.

"GRAAAAAAAAAH! How DARE you! You little pieces of trash! You're so annoying!" She erupted into yet another profane rant before she directed her attention to JJ. "I told her to finish you off when she had the chance, but did she listen to me?! NO! And now here you are with your buddies back for more! Grrr… I TOLD HER SO, I TOLD HER SO, I TOLD HER SO!"

She jumped up and down over and over, stomping the ground below her in rage, screaming. But after vented her anger, her expression became extremely focused as she spread her arms out wide.

"But that doesn't matter right now! Because I, the Violet Vixen… will have you all PUSHING. UP. DAISIES!"


End file.
